What's the Minimal Number of Pipes for Good Smoking

[simong]

8'pipes. That's what I came up with whilst having a 'sort out' of my tried & tested shapes. Depending on what I'm doing or the mood I'm in, I'll always reach for one of these shapes. So, for me it's 8 pipes.. L-R a Zulu, Pot, Canadian, Prince, Billiard, Cutty, Bent & a Lovat.

 

[STP]

One, but it’s 2021 and one is never good enough.

 

[shanez]

One would be them absolute minimum for smoking contentment.

That being said, in terms of collecting enjoyment, I'm around 200 and I don't see an end in site at the moment. I have plans to sell a few but that's only because they don't really fit how I want my collection to be.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

A single pipe, or three pipes in rotation, would probably show wear at an unaccustomed rate that would surprise me. With a large rotation, pipes stay new looking for years on end. The first pipe I bought, in 1978 or so, a Tinder Box St. Ives probably made by Chacom, still looks good and smokes well.

But I’m curious if you would feel as close to your pipes as your father did his?

 

[ChuckMijo]

I own close to 40 pipes. Most are just collectors pieces. I only smoke really 3 pipes. I smoke from morning till night. I smoke for the nicotine. My absolutely favorite pipe Gets around a 75 bowls a week. I clean it everyday. It’s my constant companion. It’s not pretty. But it smokes like no other pipe I own.

 

[captainsousie]

While I have way to many, my minimum would probably be two. Gotta have one to smoke while the other is drying out from a cleaning.

 

[Chasing Embers]

as your father did his

May not have at all. Some look at a pipe as little more than a smoking implement.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

May not have at all. Some look at a pipe as little more than a smoking implement.

As always, I can appreciate your perspective. I’m an old soul having been raised by grandparents.

 

[Chasing Embers]

As always, I can appreciate your perspective. I’m an old soul having been raised by grandparents.

And that implies affection to tools? Many of the older generations would smoke a pipe to death and get another.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

And that implies affection to tools? Many of the older generations would smoke a pipe to death and get another.

View attachment 87473

I have many of my grandfathers tools including a pole hole digger I used today.

 

[DAR]

I've been telling myself to get down to 4 pipes for about 30 years now. I'll never make it....... I think I finally realized that I don't have pipes in order to have "enough". I have them because they are beautiful pieces of smokable wood and meerschaum and I happen to like smoking pipe tobacco. I do sell some because they don't smoke well for me or I just got over being in love with the shape.

But yes, 4 is a good number of pipes for "good smoking".

 

[Merton]

I have, I think, too many pipes. At present 50 or so but that number has been whittled down from 80 or more over the past couple of years as I get older. I also notice that I smoke 7 or 8 in a rough rotation and I am comfortable with that. Mostly now Radices with their very well done ebonite stem and almost all short billiards. I loved my Castellos but now the stems feel like planks between my teeth so they do not get smoked very often and will, for the most part, be eventually traded. So...I am in the 7-10 camp. Could not smoke just one pipe only and, most mornings, a particular pipe calls out and sometimes remains for a day or two.

 

[FurCoat]

I have many of my grandfathers tools including a pole hole digger I used today.

I have all of my grandfather's tools. Brings back memories every time I use them.

 

[xingpao]

3.14 is the sweet spot

 

[timelord]

3.14 is the sweet spot

I disagree! 2.71828 hits the mark for me...

...so why do I have 50+ pipes???

 

[OzPiper]

@MSO - you do pose a difficult question !
It depends on which criteria you use to base your choice.
I always rest my pipes after each smoke, so
# based on an average of 4-5 smokes per week - 5 pipes
# based on my favourite shapes - bulldog, straight billiard, bent billiard, apple, cutty/belge, prince of wales, brandy/egg - 7 pipes
# based on material - briar, morta, meer, olive wood - 4 pipes

So somewhere between 4-7 pipes

 

[solideogloria86]

I currently have 4 briars and one cob.

I honestly only smoke 3 of the briars regularly, and only 2 of the briars frequently. The cob is for fishing, camping, hiking, hunting etc.

I could definitely get by with only two. One English, one Va. In all reality I could live well with just one and it could be the cob. Especially if we aren't limited in tobacco choices.

 

[Dudditz]

I read somewhere 7. One for each day to allow adequate drying time between each use, so that's what I did. Then I joined the forums and am seeing that is probably not necessary.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I read somewhere 7. One for each day to allow adequate drying time between each use

That's how they get you to buy more.?

 

[Dudditz]

That's how they get you to buy more.?

Yes sir!! I certainly agree!!